Tuned mass-spring damper

ABSTRACT

A wheel/hub assembly includes an axle shaft, a wheel, and a hub supporting the wheel on the axle shaft. The wheel/hub assembly has a target resonant frequency of vibration. A tuned mass-spring damper is vibrationally coupled to the wheel/hub assembly, and has a counteracting resonant frequency of vibration that is predetermined with reference to the target resonant frequency of vibration.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This technology relates to the suppression of noise, vibration, andharshness (NVH) in a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

Vibrations generated when a tire rolls on a surface can causeundesirable NVH issues including wheel hop, vehicle vibrations, andnoise. Typically, dampers in vehicle suspensions or viscoelastic dampingin the tire itself can reduce the amplitude of these NVH issues.However, as tires are designed for ever-lower rolling resistancetargets, the mass and damping of the tires are reduced which, in turn,reduces their ability to damp vibrations. If a vehicle has lowsuspension damping and/or low tire damping, NVH issues can beexacerbated.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, a tuned-mass-spring damper (TMSD) is provided, theTMSD mounted to the wheel itself or the hub or the axle shaft of avehicle, approximately concentric with the wheel. This TMSD may absorbvibrational energy from the wheel/hub assembly such that the vibrationalenergy transmitted to the vehicle itself is tuned and reduced. However,unlike a tire with high damping, this invention may not contributesignificantly to rolling resistance. Additionally, unlike a vehicle withhigh suspension damping, this invention may not cause vibrations to betransmitted to the vehicle itself. In other words, this invention mayreduce vibrations without increasing rolling resistance.

The TMSD may be connected to the wheel or hub or axle by means of abearing such that the TMSD can rotate independently from the wheel. Thisarrangement may permit the TMSD to remain rotationally fixed (i.e. notrotating) even if the wheel itself is rotating. In one embodiment, theprimary advantage of the arrangement comes from the fact that the TMSDwould not need to rotate with the wheel. Because the TMSD does not needto rotate with the wheel, it may eliminate two potentially detrimentaleffects on vehicle performance that could be caused if the TMSD wasforced to rotate with the wheel:

-   -   1. Reduced acceleration and braking performance due to the added        rotational inertia of rotating TMSD; and    -   2. Reduced steering performance due to the gyroscopic procession        of a rotating TMSD.

In one embodiment, a wheel/hub assembly includes an axle shaft, a wheel,and a hub supporting the wheel on the axle shaft. The wheel-hub assemblymay have a target resonant frequency of vibration. A TMSD may bevibrationally coupled to the wheel/hub assembly. The TMSD may have acounteracting resonant frequency of vibration that is predetermined withreference to the target resonant frequency of vibration.

The TMSD may be configured in distinct portions of elastic material thatestablish the counteracting resonant frequency of vibration. These mayinclude a spring portion overlying a part of the wheel/hub assembly, anda mass portion overlying the spring portion. An embodiment of the TMSDmay thus include distinct portions of rubber or other elastic materialconfigured as layers of an elastic structure mounted on the wheel/hubassembly.

The distinct portions of the elastic structure may have properties ofdensity and stiffness that are predetermined with reference to thecounteracting resonant frequency. The portions of elastic material maythus include a first portion having stiffness that is predetermined withreference to the counteracting resonant frequency, and a second portionhaving density that is predetermined with reference to the counteractingresonant frequency.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment ofa tire and wheel/hub assembly equipped with a TMSD for suppressing NVH.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing NVH performance characteristics of a wheel/hubassembly.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a second embodimentof a tire and wheel/hub assembly equipped with a TMSD for suppressingNVH.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a third embodiment ofa tire and wheel/hub assembly equipped with a TMSD for suppressing NVH.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a fourth embodimentof a tire and wheel/hub assembly equipped with a TMSD for suppressingNVH.

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a fifth embodiment ofa tire and wheel/hub assembly equipped with a TMSD for suppressing NVH.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The structures illustrated in the drawings include examples of theelements recited in the claims. The illustrated structures thus includeexamples of how a person of ordinary skill in the art can make and usethe claimed invention. These examples are described to meet theenablement requirements of the patent statute without imposinglimitations that are not recited in the claims. One or more of theelements of one embodiment may be used in combination with, or as asubstitute for, one or more elements another as needed for anyparticular implementation of the invention.

As shown schematically in FIG. 1, an apparatus 1 includes a tire 10,which may be mounted on a vehicle wheel/hub assembly 12. The wheel/hubassembly 12 may include at least two of a wheel 14, a hub 16 and an axleshaft 18. In use, the tire 10 and the wheel/hub assembly 12 may besubjected to dynamic forces from the road surface. Such forces caninduce NVH. The applied dynamic forces may vary throughout a band offrequencies. The tire 10 and the wheel/hub assembly 12 may thenexperience a corresponding range of vibrational modes induced by theapplied dynamic forces. A narrow band of frequencies may includefrequencies at which the wheel/hub assembly 12 has a resonant vibratoryresponse. The wheel/hub assembly 12 may then experience a correspondingresonant mode of vibration. Such a resonant mode of vibration maygenerate excessive NVH.

For example, the solid curves in FIG. 2 indicates levels of NVHgenerated by a wheel/hub assembly across a range of force inputfrequencies. The peaks in the solid line curves indicate NVH levelsgenerated by resonant vibratory responses in the wheel/hub assembly. Thepeaks in the solid line curves thus occur at resonant frequencies ofvibration in the wheel/hub assembly. Accordingly, a wheel/hub assemblyas represented here will vibrate in a resonant mode at each force inputfrequency corresponding to a peak in a solid line curve.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a resonant frequency of NVH in the wheel/hubassembly 12 may be determined in a known manner. The determined resonantfrequency may be selected as a target resonant frequency for which theresulting NVH is sought to be attenuated. One or more TMSDs 30 may thenbe tuned to have a resonant frequency of vibration equal orsubstantially equal to the target frequency. When a TMSD 30 isoperatively coupled to the wheel/hub assembly 12, as shown for examplein FIG. 1, it can be oriented to vibrate at the target frequency in aresonant mode that acts oppositely to the resonant mode of vibration inthe wheel/hub assembly 12. The counteracting vibrational force inputsfrom the TMSD 30 can suppress vibrational displacement that mightotherwise occur. This can attenuate the NVH generated by vibration atthe target frequency, as indicated by the dashed line curves shown inFIG. 2.

The wheel/hub assembly 12 of FIG. 1 may be equipped with a TMSD 30 forsuppressing vibration as described above. In this embodiment, the TMSD30 is configured as a circumferentially continuous ring centeredcoaxially over the axle shaft 18. The TMSD 30 has distinct portions ofelastic material with properties of density and stiffness that arepredetermined with reference to the counteracting resonant frequency.The portions of elastic material may include a first portion in whichthe stiffness is predetermined with reference to the counteractingresonant frequency, and a second portion in which the density ispredetermined with reference to the counteracting resonant frequency.

More specifically, the distinct portions of elastic material in theillustrated TMSD 30 include an inner layer 32 of rubber, and an outerlayer 34 of rubber that overlies and is bonded to the inner layer 32.The inner layer 32 may be mounted on the outer race 40 of a bearing 42on the axle shaft 18. The bearing 42 may couple the TMSD 30vibrationally with the wheel/hub assembly 12 at the axle shaft 18, butmay permit the TMSD 30 to float rotationally relative to the axle shaft18.

The inner and outer layers 32 and 34 of the TMSD 30 may have the samestiffness or differing stiffness, but in either case the stiffness ofthe inner layer 32 may be predetermined with reference to thecounteracting resonant frequency. The inner and outer layers 32 and 34may also have the same density or differing density, but in either casethe density of the outer layer 34 may be predetermined with reference tothe counteracting resonant frequency. This enables the inner layer 32 toserve as a spring portion of the TMSD 30, with the outer layer 34serving as a mass portion coupled to the spring portion. When thewheel/hub assembly 12 vibrates, the TMSD 30 may act as a spring/masssystem to counteract the vibration. The counteracting spring/massactions of the TMSD 30 are optimal at the resonant frequency ofvibration to which the TMSD 30 is tuned. Since the TMSD 30 is tuned tothe target resonant frequency of the wheel/hub assembly 12, it appliesoptimal resistance to vibration of the wheel/hub assembly 12 in thecorresponding resonant mode.

The TMSD 30 can be coupled, and/or vibrationally coupled, with thewheel/hub assembly 12 in other arrangements. For example, in theembodiment of FIG. 3, an apparatus 3 is illustrated in which the TMSD 30may be mounted directly on the axle shaft 18. In the embodiment of FIG.4, an apparatus 4 is illustrated in which the TMSD 30 may be coupled toa constant velocity (CV) joint 50 through a bearing 52 similar to thebearing 42 of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 5, an apparatus 5 is illustratedin which the TMSD 30 can be mounted directly on the CV joint 50, withoutthe use of a bearing. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, an apparatus 6 isillustrated in which the TMSD 30 may be located within the tire 10, andmay be coupled to the wheel/hub assembly 12 through a bearing 60 havingan inner race 62 fixed to the wheel 14 to rotate with the wheel 14.Other arrangements could include, for example, mounting the TMSD 30 onthe wheel 14 without a bearing, on the hub 16 either with or without abearing, at another location on the axle shaft 18, or at any othersuitable location on the wheel/hub assembly 12.

In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided, the apparatus comprising: awheel/hub assembly including an axle shaft, a wheel, and a hubsupporting the wheel on the axle shaft, the wheel/hub assembly having atarget resonant frequency of vibration; and a tuned mass-spring dampervibrationally coupled to the wheel/hub assembly and having acounteracting resonant frequency of vibration that is predetermined withreference to the target resonant frequency of vibration. In oneembodiment, the damper is configured as a circumferentially continuousring and is mounted concentrically on the wheel/hub assembly. In oneembodiment, the counteracting resonant frequency is equal orsubstantially equal to the target resonant frequency. In one embodiment,the damper is configured in distinct portions of elastic material havingproperties of density and stiffness that are predetermined withreference to the counteracting resonant frequency. In one embodiment,the distinct portions of elastic material include a first portion havingstiffness predetermined with reference to the counteracting resonantfrequency, and a second portion having density predetermined withreference to the counteracting resonant frequency. In one embodiment,the distinct portions of elastic material have the same stiffness. Inone embodiment, the distinct portions of elastic material have differingstiffness. In one embodiment, the distinct portions of elastic materialhave the same density. In one embodiment, the distinct portions ofelastic material have differing density. In one embodiment, the distinctportions of elastic material include a spring portion overlying a partof the wheel/hub assembly and having stiffness predetermined withreference to the counteracting resonant frequency, and further include amass portion overlying the spring portion and having densitypredetermined with reference to the counteracting resonant frequency. Inone embodiment, the distinct portions of elastic material are configuredas layers of a circumferentially continuous ring. In one embodiment, thedamper is coupled to the wheel/hub assembly through a bearing on theaxle shaft. In one embodiment, the damper is mounted directly on theaxle shaft. In one embodiment, the wheel/hub assembly includes a CVjoint, and the damper is coupled to the wheel/hub assembly through abearing on the CV joint. In one embodiment, the wheel/hub assemblyincludes a CV joint, and the damper is mounted directly on the CV joint.In one embodiment, the damper is coupled to the wheel/hub assemblythrough a bearing mounted on the wheel at a location within the tire.

In another embodiment, an apparatus for use with a wheel/hub assemblyincluding an axle shaft, a wheel, and a hub supporting the wheel on theaxle shaft, the wheel/hub assembly having a target resonant frequency ofvibration, is provided, the apparatus comprising: a tuned mass-springdamper configured for vibrational coupling to the wheel/hub assembly andhaving a predetermined resonant frequency of vibration. In oneembodiment, the wheel/hub assembly has a resonant frequency ofvibration, and the resonant frequency of vibration of the damper ispredetermined with reference to the resonant frequency of vibration ofthe wheel/hub assembly. In one embodiment, the resonant frequency ofvibration of the damper is equal or substantially equal to the resonantfrequency of vibration of the wheel/hub assembly. In one embodiment, thedamper is configured in distinct portions of elastic material havingproperties of density and stiffness that are predetermined withreference to the resonant frequency of vibration. In one embodiment, theportions of elastic material include a first portion having stiffnesspredetermined with reference to the resonant frequency of vibration, anda second portion having density predetermined with reference to theresonant frequency of vibration. In one embodiment, the distinctportions of elastic material have the same stiffness. In one embodiment,the distinct portions of elastic material have differing stiffness. Inone embodiment, the distinct portions of elastic material have the samedensity. In one embodiment, the distinct portions of elastic materialhave differing density. In one embodiment, the distinct portions ofelastic material are configured as layers of a circumferentiallycontinuous ring.

To the extent that the term “includes” or “including” is used in thespecification or the claims, it is intended to be inclusive in a mannersimilar to the term “comprising” as that term is interpreted whenemployed as a transitional word in a claim. Furthermore, to the extentthat the term “or” is employed (e.g., A or B) it is intended to mean “Aor B or both.” When the applicants intend to indicate “only A or B butnot both” then the term “only A or B but not both” will be employed.Thus, use of the term “or” herein is the inclusive, and not theexclusive use. See Bryan A. Garner, A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage624 (2d. Ed. 1995). Also, to the extent that the terms “in” or “into”are used in the specification or the claims, it is intended toadditionally mean “on” or “onto.” To the extent that the term“substantially” is used in the specification or the claims, it isintended to take into consideration the degree of precision available intire manufacturing, which in one embodiment is ±6.35 millimeters (±0.25inches). To the extent that the term “selectively” is used in thespecification or the claims, it is intended to refer to a condition of acomponent wherein a user of the apparatus may activate or deactivate thefeature or function of the component as is necessary or desired in useof the apparatus. To the extent that the term “operatively connected” isused in the specification or the claims, it is intended to mean that theidentified components are connected in a way to perform a designatedfunction. As used in the specification and the claims, the singularforms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural. Finally, where the term“about” is used in conjunction with a number, it is intended to include±10% of the number. In other words, “about 10” may mean from 9 to 11.

As stated above, while the present application has been illustrated bythe description of embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments havebeen described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of theapplicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appendedclaims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications willreadily appear to those skilled in the art, having the benefit of thepresent application. Therefore, the application, in its broader aspects,is not limited to the specific details, illustrative examples shown, orany apparatus referred to. Departures may be made from such details,examples, and apparatuses without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe general inventive concept.

1. An apparatus comprising: a wheel/hub assembly including an axleshaft, a wheel, and a hub supporting the wheel on the axle shaft, thewheel/hub assembly having a target resonant frequency of vibration; anda tuned mass-spring damper vibrationally coupled to the wheel/hubassembly and having a counteracting resonant frequency of vibration thatis predetermined with reference to the target resonant frequency ofvibration.
 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the damper isconfigured as a circumferentially continuous ring and is mountedconcentrically on the wheel/hub assembly.
 3. An apparatus as defined inclaim 1, wherein the counteracting resonant frequency is equal orsubstantially equal to the target resonant frequency.
 4. An apparatus asdefined in claim 1, wherein the damper is configured in distinctportions of elastic material having properties of density and stiffnessthat are predetermined with reference to the counteracting resonantfrequency.
 5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the distinctportions of elastic material include a first portion having stiffnesspredetermined with reference to the counteracting resonant frequency,and a second portion having density predetermined with reference to thecounteracting resonant frequency.
 6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1,wherein the damper is coupled to the wheel/hub assembly through abearing on the axle shaft.
 7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1,wherein the damper is mounted directly on the axle shaft.
 8. Anapparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the wheel/hub assembly includesa CV joint, and the damper is coupled to the wheel/hub assembly througha bearing on the CV joint.
 9. An apparatus as defined in claim 1,wherein the wheel/hub assembly includes a CV joint, and the damper ismounted directly on the CV joint.
 10. An apparatus as defined in claim1, wherein the damper is coupled to the wheel/hub assembly through abearing mounted on the wheel at a location within a tire.
 11. Anapparatus for use with a wheel/hub assembly including an axle shaft, awheel, and a hub supporting the wheel on the axle shaft, the wheel/hubassembly having a target resonant frequency of vibration, the apparatuscomprising: a tuned mass-spring damper configured for vibrationalcoupling to the wheel/hub assembly and having a predetermined resonantfrequency of vibration.
 12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, whereinthe wheel/hub assembly has a resonant frequency of vibration, and theresonant frequency of vibration of the damper is predetermined withreference to the resonant frequency of vibration of the wheel/hubassembly.
 13. An apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the resonantfrequency of vibration of the damper is equal or substantially equal tothe resonant frequency of vibration of the wheel/hub assembly.
 14. Anapparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the damper is configured indistinct portions of elastic material having properties of density andstiffness that are predetermined with reference to the resonantfrequency of vibration.
 15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, whereinthe portions of elastic material include a first portion havingstiffness predetermined with reference to the resonant frequency ofvibration, and a second portion having density predetermined withreference to the resonant frequency of vibration.
 16. An apparatus foruse with a wheel/hub assembly including an axle shaft, a wheel, and ahub supporting the wheel on the axle shaft, the wheel/hub assemblyhaving a target resonant frequency of vibration, the apparatuscomprising: a tuned mass-spring damper comprising: an inner layer ofrubber; and an outer layer of rubber that overlies and is bonded to theinner layer; wherein the inner layer is mounted on an outer race of abearing on the axle shaft.
 17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16,wherein the bearing couples the tuned mass-spring damper vibrationallywith the wheel/hub assembly at the axle shaft.
 18. An apparatus asdefined in claim 17, wherein the bearing permits the tuned mass-springdamper float rotationally relative to the axle shaft.
 19. An apparatusas defined in claim 16, wherein the inner layer serves as a springportion of the tuned mass-spring damper.
 20. An apparatus as defined inclaim 19, wherein the outer layer serves as a mass portion coupled tothe spring portion.